


Another Hit of Fresh Air

by athingsublime



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 15:03:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6525046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athingsublime/pseuds/athingsublime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>accompanying/follow-up piece for "Tribute" (11x19).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Another Hit of Fresh Air

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing for CM, as I just couldn't help it following "Tribute". I hope I did these characters justice. Unbeta-ed and I'm not a native speaker of English, so my apologies for any mistakes and such.

Having Emily back in her proximity is like finally breathing in the freshest breath of air after suffocating for so long. She is not, by any means, unhappy in her life – Will and the boys are a gift she is thankful to have day in and day out, but Emily… Nothing and no one could ever mean and give to her what Emily does. If asked, she won’t be able to explain what it is, exactly, except this – JJ and Emily are the piece missing from the other's puzzle, and so they are never truly complete when they are far away from each other.

JJ drinks in every moment with Emily, cherishes even the hard ones, like when Emily admits she had replaced Louise in Emily's recurrent dream, and her heart breaks a little. She knows what this means to Emily, Emily who saved her life so many times, who flew half-way across the world to find her and bring her home safely. Emily who loves her, simple and true, Emily whose subconscious installed JJ in her dream, giving her the last push, the last bit of motivation, to finally find this guy.

Almost as soon as she knew Emily was on her way to meet them, JJ let Will know, prepared him. One of the many things JJ loves about him is that he _gets_ what she and Emily have, he accepts and understands it. She just has to say "Emily's here" and he knows to step back and let them have it, he knows that soon enough, the case would be solved and that the night it happens, JJ won't be coming back home to him. He never asks for details, afterwards, just says "Stay safe" and lets her go for the night.

At their family dinner, JJ chooses the chair across from Emily. She doesn't want to touch, not yet, just look – and this is the perfect viewpoint. She wants to see Emily where she belongs, next to their friends, their family, happily drinking tequila and munching on the best burrito they could find. She can withhold touching and just enjoy the sight unfolding before her, because this is the truth they both know – this evening will end with JJ coming back with Emily to her hotel room, where they will reaffirm their bond.

And, indeed, this is where Emily finally breaks down, finally lets go of all the tension brought on by this case – right there in JJ's arms. Safe, warm, naked, the two are as close together, as entwined in each other, as two people can ever hope to be.

In the darkness, together, they are happy, they are sated, they are complete, and just before she falls asleep, Emily whispers, "I've missed you so much, too."

JJ smiles as her eyes drift close, and her arms tighten around the part of her soul that they cradle.


End file.
